It is well known that consistent exercise is necessary to maintain health and fitness. However, personal schedules can make it difficult to get to the gym or the Pilates studio to workout. Therefore, lightweight and space saving home exercise equipment solutions are important.
Pilates is a method of exercise that works to increase an individual's strength and flexibility and to improve posture with precise, specific exercises. Pilates can be done on a mat or on special equipment typically found in a Pilates studio such as the reformer or the cadillac. The sizes and weights of the reformer and cadillac make it impossible for many people to purchase them for home use. Moreover, neither the reformer nor the cadillac can be taken when a person travels.
A cable column weight system is a popular, versatile exercise option used at a gym. However, its weight and size make it difficult to purchase for home use and travel with the cable column weight system is impossible.
There are a number of devices in the prior art that also create portable exercise solutions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,626 to Taylor discloses a portable exercise device. However, the design of this device does not allow it to be attached inside of a door jamb, and, therefore, it cannot be used to mimic exercises done with a cable column weight system. Because of this lack of a door attachment, this device is also limited in the number of reformer and cadillac exercises that can be done with it. Furthermore, its foot loop is not adjustable and will have a tendency to fall off of the foot causing interruption and irritation to the user. Moreover, this device does not have a restraining loop to keep the loose end of the resistance member from getting in the way of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,698 to Mason et al. discloses a portable exercise formed without rigid components. However, this device lacks a handle, which limits the capability of the number and the comfort of the exercises. Also, the device is specifically geared toward ankle exercises, and the foot loop is unable to be placed around the thigh, limiting the versatility of this device. Also, the device cannot be affixed in a door jamb to allow for arm and core exercises, because its door attachment is found only at the hand loop portion. Therefore, using this device to mimic a cable column weight system, reformer, or cadillac exercises is limited. Additionally, the device is not adjustable, which limits the overall amount of resistance that can be supplied to the user. The user will only be able to move his body farther away from the band to create increased resistance which will significantly limit the exercise options of the individual, especially when using the device not attached to a door.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,213 to Recker also discloses a portable exercise device. However, its stirrup design limits the placement of the foot stirrup portion to the foot only. Accordingly, no attachment to the thigh is possible. Also there is no door attachment component, which further limits the number of exercises capable of being performed with the device. That the device is not adjustable also limits the overall resistance the device is able to afford the user. As such, individuals of different heights will have either greater or lesser resistance, and they will not be able to personalize the resistance to their height—the design of this resistance system is one size fits all.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,486 to Sheeler discloses another device, device which is flexible and portable in nature. However, the device is inelastic, which significantly limits the type, effectiveness and comfort of the exercises possible with this device. There is no ability for the freedom of movement necessary to mimic reformer or cadillac exercises. Furthermore, users cannot perform cable column weight system exercises with this device.
The present disclosure overcomes these and other limitations of existing exercise devices and provides other benefits as will become clearer to those skilled in the art from the following description.